The district is now preparing for an $18.6 million to $28.2 million revenue reduction next year because of expected state funding cuts. Earlier this spring, the district had proposed cutting $50 million.

The decrease in anticipated cuts is also due, in part, to an influx in federal education aid to Texas school districts. North East ISD’s portion of the federal aid is nearly $10.6 million.

Legislators have not yet determined by how much education funding will be cut but the district has updated estimates based on several legislative proposals.

District staff members have said the district is committed to reducing positions through attrition.

Previously, North East staff had planned to reduce 135 elementary school teaching positions through attrition. The $28.2 million cut proposal would lead to the elimination of only 86 elementary positions and more than that number of elementary teachers have already resigned or retired.

Under the $28.2 million cut scenario, the district could retain a 22-to-1 student to teacher ratio in pre-k, kindergarten and first grade, which, under previous proposals, was slated to increase to 24-to-1.

The district will hold a public hearing on the budget and possibly adopt next year’s budget on June 27.